Shi Nian of Canghui

Tang San leaned back in his chair, bored, his gaze sweeping across the Soul Fighting Platform before finally settling on the stands of the Skywater Academy.

Shui Bing'er was sitting there, her long, icy blue hair gleaming softly under the light, her profile exquisitely beautiful.

She seemed to sense Tang San's gaze, turned her head, and their eyes met in mid-air.

Shui Bing'er was slightly taken aback, then quickly looked away.

Dugu Yan noticed Tang San's unusual behavior and pinched him on the waist.

Tang San winced in pain, quickly averted his gaze, and sat up straight.

After watching the opening dance of the Skywater Academy, Tang San felt that nothing else interested him; it was too boring.

Dugu Yan and Xiao Wu watched with great interest, occasionally cheering.

Only Ye Lingling sat quietly beside her.

Tang San's heart skipped a beat. He reached out and took Ye Lingling's hand, whispering in her ear, "Lingling, let's go out for a walk. It's too noisy here."

Ye Lingling blushed slightly, nodded, and stood up with Tang San.

Seeing that Tang San had Ye Lingling with him, Dugu Yan and Xiao Wu weren't worried that he would go out and flirt with other women. They simply thought they were kindly creating some time alone for the two of them.

Tang San took Ye Lingling's hand and walked out of the Great Soul Arena.

Sunlight streamed down from above, warming my skin. The streets were bustling with people, and the cries of vendors rose and fell.

Tang San led Ye Lingling along the street, aimlessly enjoying their rare time together.

Suddenly, he paused slightly, and his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

He sensed a strange mental fluctuation coming from not far away, silently enveloping the two of them.

The mental fluctuations were extremely subtle; if his Spiritual Power hadn't far surpassed that of ordinary people, it would have been impossible to detect them.

Tang San remained silent and continued walking forward without changing his expression.

He quietly activated his External Soul Bone, "Dreamlike Illusion Eyes," and a flash of purple-gold light appeared in his eyes.

With the blessing of the Dreamlike Illusion Eyes, his Spiritual Power perception instantly increased several times, and he could clearly sense that someone was casting an illusion, trying to confuse him and Ye Lingling.

It felt like a transparent veil was surrounding them from all sides, enveloping them in a false world.

Fortunately, I have strong Spiritual Power and External Soul Bone my eyes, otherwise it would have been really difficult to deal with.

Tang San glanced at Ye Lingling beside him. She held his hand in her palm, her head bowed shyly, a faint smile on her lips.

This was the first time she had ever been led around the streets by a boy. Her heart was pounding like a deer's, and her attention was completely focused on Tang San. She was so engrossed in her own little world that she didn't notice the changes in her surroundings.

Clearly, she had fallen into an illusion. What she saw and heard was what the spellcaster wanted her to see and hear; only the warmth from the palm of his hand was real.

Tang San remained silent and naturally followed the illusion created by the man.

He didn't try to resist the illusion, but instead followed its guidance, walking forward step by step. He wanted to see who was behind it all and what their purpose was.

The two walked through street after street.

Through the Dreamlike Illusion Eyes, Tang San could sense that he had already left Heaven Dou City.

After walking for a while, a deserted grove of trees appeared ahead.

Tang San stopped and turned around to face Ye Lingling.

Ye Lingling looked around, a hint of confusion in her voice, "Third Brother, why do I feel like we've been here before?"

Tang San reached out and pinched her cheek, laughing, "Silly girl, you're only realizing it now?"

Ye Lingling was even more confused, her eyes filled with bewilderment. "Huh? What do you mean?"

Tang San didn't answer, but gently pulled her behind him.

Then he turned around, facing a seemingly empty clearing deep in the woods, a slight smile playing on his lips, and called out, "Show yourself, senior. What is your purpose in leading us to this desolate place?"

Ye Lingling saw the surrounding air begin to distort, the streets disappeared, and the true appearance of the forest was revealed.

An old man was standing under a tree not far away.

The old man was thin, dressed in a gray robe, with a sinister face and a chilling smile on his lips.

He stood ten paces away from Tang San and said in a sinister tone, "My Nightmare Illusion is difficult even for Soul Saint to see through. I didn't expect that you, a mere Soul King, could see through it. You do have some skill."

Tang San instantly thought of this person.

Shi Nian of the Canghui Academy, a level 72 Soul Saint, possesses the Martial Soul Nightmare. He is skilled at using dream-like Soul Skills to trap people in illusions from which they cannot escape, driving them mad until they die.

In the original novel, Shi Nian attempted to ambush Tang San during the Qualifying Tournament, but was ultimately killed by Tang San.

I never expected that he would come again in this life.

Shi Nian looked at Tang San with amusement, then glanced at Ye Lingling behind Tang San, a hint of greed and cruelty flashing in his eyes.

His voice carried a leisurely, cat-and-mouse tone. "It's a pity that such a genius will lose his life at my hands today. You only have yourself to blame for blocking the path of my Canghui Academy. Therefore, you must die."

Tang San's expression turned cold, and the temperature in his eyes dropped to freezing.

He completely shielded Ye Lingling behind him and said, "It's just a little dream, why are you taking it so seriously?"

Shi Nian smiled slightly, a smile full of contempt and cruelty, "You ignorant brats, then let you go mad in my Remnant Dream until you die."

Shi Nian's expression suddenly became even more ferocious. "Don't bother struggling. It's all meaningless to you now. This time next year will be your death anniversary."

Tang San remained silent, instead coldly staring at Shi Nian.

Just as Shi Nian was about to activate his Soul Skill, he suddenly felt a moment of mental confusion.

The feeling came without warning, like someone gently tapping his mind, causing his consciousness to go blank for a moment.

Unbeknownst to him, Tang San had already concealed all of his Soul Rings using the "Simulation" skill of his External Soul Bone, "Dreamlike Illusion Eyes."

At the Shi Nian, it seemed that Tang San had never used any Soul Skills. However, Tang San had already silently unleashed his second Soul Skill, "Dreamlike Illusion Realm."

The field unfolded silently, with colorless and odorless pollen spreading through the air, covering an area of tens of meters in radius.

Shi Nian had been inhaling the pollen emitted by Tang San, which unknowingly seeped into his nervous system.

At this moment, Tang San activated the hallucinogenic effects accumulated in the pollen.

While not enough to trap a Soul Saint- level mental powerhouse in an illusion, it was enough to cause him to experience a momentary mental disorientation.

Tang San needed that instantaneous reaction time.

In a moment of Shi Nian confusion, Tang San activated the skill "Annihilation Light" of his External Soul Bone "Dreamlike Illusion Eyes," pouring nearly two-thirds of his Spiritual Power into it.

A thick red beam of light shot out from Tang San's right eye, striking Shi Nian precisely between the eyebrows.